Boss Kieran McKenna admitted the Blues had missed a big opportunity to record a rare win at Old Trafford and also to gain ground in the relegation battle following their 3-2 defeat to 10-man Manchester United.

The Blues had the game where they wanted it at half-time having pulled back to 2-2 and with the Red Devils reduced in number following Patrick Dorgu’s dismissal for a high challenge on Omari Hutchinson.

But Town conceded a third set piece of the match two minutes after the restart, Harry Maguire heading home and from there struggled to make any impact.

“No doubt about it,” McKenna admitted when asked whether it was an opportunity missed. “Certainly a very frustrating outcome to the game and we’re really annoyed with the goals that we conceded.

“In the first half with the two set plays. I think the first one is a really good ball, we’re not sure it’s a free-kick, but it’s a good ball. The second one, there’s a block at the back post but we need to defend it better.

“We went from a really good start and a good position in the game to a difficult position. Of course, we go in at half-time in a good position with the red card and the goal just before half-time.

“But we’ve managed and played the second half really poorly. A big priority in the dressing room at half-time was not to concede. We were in the situation [the same as United] two weeks ago against Aston Villa, so we know what the mindset of the opponent is, you know that they’re waiting for an opportunity and they’ll feel like there’s a goal in it for them.

“And tonight the goal was always going to come from a set play. We weren’t able to deal with United’s physicality and strength in the penalty box.

“So not giving away the set play and then defending it with everything we had was going to be key in the second half when it came, and we didn’t do that within a minute of the restart.

“And that gives the stadium all the energy it needs, gives the opposition all the energy they need and I think in the second half they showed their experience, showed their quality.

“They were stronger than us at both ends of the pitch. They still had three big, high quality centre-halves to defend their goal. Their two centre-forwards were stronger than us on long balls and we weren’t able to get any foothold in the game.

“We didn’t manage the situation well in the second half. We did everything that we didn’t want to do and you don’t want to do in that situation. We gave away free-kicks, we gave the crowd energy by getting involved in silly things. We lost our shape and we didn’t defend the moments that they had anywhere near well enough. It’s a really poor second half from us and a frustrating night.”

Asked what he’d said to the players in the dressing room, McKenna responded: “Everything I’ve just said to you!”

Having said at the weekend that the Blues have rarely had the rub of the green this season, they were gifted Jaden Philogene’s early goal through a defensive mix-up and then played a United side with 10 men for the whole of the second half and the last couple of of minutes of the first.

“I think that’s fair,” McKenna reflected. “We’ve lost out on margins on so many occasions this season, games where we’ve done lots of good things.

“Tonight was similar to that in that there were some good passages in the first half, some good things about our play, some promise.

“Situations have very often gone against us. Tonight, in some aspects they went for us and we weren’t good enough to capitalise on them. One, in terms of the physicality to defend our box on set plays, they had too much strength for us in those areas.

“And then the maturity to be able to handle the situation of being in the second half with the expectation to go and win the game.

“We gave away a really poor goal and we didn’t chase the game well at all. I think there are plenty of nights and plenty of days this season where we can bemoan that things haven’t gone our way, but I don’t think tonight was one of them.

“I think we need to take ownership of it tonight. Although it’s not easy, even 10 men here you’re still playing against high, high quality opposition, but we need to own the bits we can do better and there were certainly a couple of those tonight.”

He added: “The feeling in our position, the reality in our position is that we need to do so many things well to win a game. Maybe 10 things and you need to do them all well.

“Very often this season we’ve done seven or eight of them or nine of them, but if one area of your game is off, then you’ll get punished.

“Defensive set plays have been a strong point for us, we’ve been one of the best teams in the league from a defensive set piece point of view, but really tonight we weren’t at the level, the opponent was too strong for us and we got punished on that area.

“We know the jump that we’ve had, we know we’re coming here with lots of young players, very few have played in the league before, very few have played at Old Trafford before, but we also know that we need to get so many areas right to get a win and very often we’ve got different areas right, but not all of them.

“And tonight’s one of those nights. We did some things well in the first half, we gave away very, very few chances in open play but the defending of set plays was not good enough and has cost us the game.”

Before tonight, Town had conceded only three goals from set pieces with Brentford the only side to have shipped fewer, two, in the Premier League this season.

“That’s why tonight’s really, really frustrating,” the former United U18s and first-team coach continued.

“There’s also the level of the opponent and maybe that’s one of the points with the level of the Premier League.

“Bruno Fernandes delivering for Harry Maguire and [Matthijs] de Ligt and [Leny] Yoro, [Joshua] Zirkzee and [Rasmus] Hojlund. That’s a lot of physicality in your penalty box and from a stature point of view we were outmatched tonight, so our details need to be absolutely perfect and that wasn’t the case tonight.

“I think it’s an area that has certainly cost us tonight, it hasn’t cost us all season, but, as I’ve said, to win games in this league, we have to be bang on in pretty much every area and we haven’t managed to be as often as we would have liked to be and tonight it was certainly defending set plays that was a big problem for us.”

Regarding the challenge which led to Dorgu’s sending off, McKenna added: “I think it was a red card. I was right in front of it. He’s gone over the ball.

“I think you always assume the best in people and I assume he’s not meant it, but he’s gone over the ball and it’s also resulted in Omari having to go off in the second half and he’s a big, big player for us against a lower block.

“That was a blow for us, but VAR dealt with it and gave the red card, so we can’t have too many complaints and hopefully Omari will be OK.”

The Blues boss was asked how he’ll lift the team ahead of Monday’s FA Cup fifth round tie at Nottingham Forest given he seemed flat at his post-match press conference.

“We are tonight and I think we have to be,” he said. “We’re a really positive group, we find the positives and the learnings from both situations but also we’ve missed a big opportunity tonight, so there’s no point trying to dress that up any other way than what it is.

“We’re really frustrated tonight and I don’t think there’s anything that any of us say that’s going to change that, but I also know that when we go back into training everyone’s mood, everyone’s mindset will be to deal with that frustration in the right way.

“Take the lessons from tonight, there’s a lot that we can take, there were so many different things in the game, the ebbs and flows, the big incidents that were in the game. There’s so much that a young group in terms of experience and age can learn from that.

“And we have to use it to make us stronger and we have to use the lessons in the game coming up.

“We’re frustrated tonight, there’s no point hiding any of that, but I know when we get back to the training ground, we’ll all turn our focus to Nottingham Forest in the cup and then really importantly take the lessons from tonight ready for Selhurst Park in 10 days’ time.”

TWTD

billlm added 10:15 - Feb 27 To many passengers at this level, our hands were tied before the season started, hope the club has learnt some lessons this season,
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blues1 added 10:21 - Feb 27 Alphawhiskey. 10 out of 10 for the daftest comment ever. Yes, we should have taken off a player at half time, whod scored 2 goals and generally played well. Glad ur not the manager. Clearly you have no idea about football whatsoever. Conceding the 3rd goal was the problem. Bcse they could then just sit back with a low,block, making it hard for us to get through them. And with the quality of the defensive players they have, then it was always gonna be tough. Too many of our fans seem to think playing against 10 men is easy. It's actually often harder, particularly if a goal down. Not saying we couldn't have done more but the criticism from so called fans is a joke. But then, most of those fans will likely disappear if we do go down.

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del45 added 10:34 - Feb 27 Agree with all above support the club but supporters getting fed up with our tactics, late subs and second half proforments in last two games.
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blues1 added 10:39 - Feb 27 Poet. We need to learn how to deal,with set pieces? Yes, we had an issue last night obviously. But prior to that, we'd only conceded 3 goals from set pieces all season. So don't think it's a major issue somehow.
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hyperbrit added 10:42 - Feb 27 those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it!!
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Alphawhiskey added 10:51 - Feb 27 blues1; 10 out of 10 for the daftest post ever! You think Jaden Philogene played well? Really? He scored two goals agreed, very lucky goals though. Other than that he was poor, couldn't defend and failed to deliver any decent crosses into Utd's box. didn't take anyone on either. And that's not running him down, that's just that things needed changing at half time with Hutch playing his preferred position on the right. We all know playing against ten men can prove tricky at times, but come on, 1 shot on target all second half? I'm so glad that you're not the manger, you are totally clueless. Conceding the third goal was the problem you say? haha, no s**t Sherlock! And who's job was it to mark the goal scorer? And you dare to call me a so called fan? really? I have been going to PR since 1976 along with many away games each and every season, so I don't think I will be disappearing anywhere. I have been through the John Duncan days etc... Remember him? Probably not. Enjoy sitting on your sofa for the rest of the season. We as fans are entitled to have an opinion.

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itfc2024 added 11:34 - Feb 27 blues1 we're u at the game last night cos I was and whoever said philogene played well he scored 2 goals one I could have scored and the 2nd a ball in the box which everyone missed but apart from that did nothing he's not good enough all this effort to sign him and he produces poor performance like he's done sorry Ihe no better than burns or Johnson who again I don't rate but he's better than philogene

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algy added 11:44 - Feb 27 Interesting use of the "royal we" by KM.
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carlisleaway added 13:33 - Feb 27 McKenna goes on about the physicality of the Manchester defenders and front men, why is it that he goes out and purchases lightweight players in Clarke and Philogene. You have to take a serious look at the coaches who organise the defending from dead ball situations, happening far too often and we will pay for this. Does not look as if the players are playing for one another as in the previous 2 seasons, lost the team spirit !!!!!

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itfc2024 added 13:50 - Feb 27 Carlisleaway I agree we signed to many players and alot of those are very lightweight aka Hutchinson Clarke philogene Johnson ect but signing all these players and pushing most the other out that got us here has ripped the spirit out this team and these guys don't fight or know what's its like playing for ipswich town unlike the old guard that got us here
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algy added 14:47 - Feb 27 The old guard that the Gamechanger etc.money bought us in the EFL had ability, ambition, drive, desire but needed good coaching to be a successful team and that's what McK did. They've now largely been replaced by Championship journeymen and young former Cat 1 academy players with some loan time in the Championship for their development. Ability in many cases but little drive ambition or desire other than to say they play in the PL and get PL money. They need managing and motivating. We have a good coach but he's not a manager.

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Alphawhiskey added 14:52 - Feb 27 I often wonder how we would have faired with the team that got us up? There are only currently two places below us, so I'm sure it wouldn't have been much worse than the current set up surely. I know, I know its silly etc, but that team had so much spirit and fight, they never gave up or dropped their heads. They always believed.... The 'together as one' doesn't seem there this season. Too much tinkering and messing about with starting line ups.

3

mathiemagic added 14:52 - Feb 27 A lot of comments on here about the "Old Guard" and a lack of spirit in the team now but the club i suppose were stuck between a rock and hard place as the Premier League demands a better standard of player. The old guard would not have been good enough despite the togetherness. Have we brought in players that are a massive improvement, Im not so sure, but £120 million to only win once at home with only 11 games left would suggest money poorly spent.

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Linkboy13 added 15:43 - Feb 27 No manager on earth is going to turn players that are lightweight not quick enough in speed and thought and technically sub standard into Premier league players. Give McKenna a decent squad of players like a Brentford or Bournemouth and he wouldn't have to keep changing it every week. McKenna won't be here next season if he's got any sense and our fickle fans will have someone else to moan about when we start losing.

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churchmans added 18:28 - Feb 27 Linkboy13 130million! Should of bought prem leauge ready players! Sorry but the boss had no plan B(2nd half)
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bluesince76 added 19:15 - Feb 27 Morsy is not good enough at this level didn't strengthen midfield enough and mc Kenna is beginning to sound like a broken record twe seem clueless going forward to slow in procession passing back and sideways no penetration all down to the managers tactics not sure I would have the same patience the owners have shown
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Eeyore added 19:47 - Feb 27 He summed it up really well. I have been positive on every performance so far this season. That second 45 was the worst performance of the season where the team for the first time just didnt know hat they were doing. Sometimes something good comes from this. perhaps we can have a run of good results. The odds are against us becsause we have lost some of the players would might make a difference. The frustration is because we were handed a big opportunity and failed to get anywhere near taking it. Earlier in the season we would have grabbed it and won it 3-2. We have players, who we were hoping would turn out to be excellent premier league players, who have probably not quite hit the heights we had hoped for. They have done OK but are perhaps good championship players, nothing more. I guess the positive is that we have a very good championship squad with very few of the players earning the right to get a transfer to a premier league side if we get relegated. But still there is hope. If not, perhaps we will go down fighting with some heroic performances in the remaining games. McKenna will really show what he's made of now when the odds are stacked against us and we have, for the first time, looked a dead cert to go down.

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hyperbrit added 14:23 - Feb 28 I look forward to getting down votes from the happy clappers but this was posted on the players rating yesterday: Does not matter what formation we play or who we select we are just not good enough. Players who are not in the team automatically become world beaters. There will have to be big changes in personnel next season especially in our scouting network it's championship at best has to be world wide. What's happened to the owners that were singing when we were winning?Sounds ominous. Bringing in a new manager might get us promoted again but we need to be more shrewd in the transfer market 15 to 20million pounds can get you a good player on the continent. Keiran McKenna is a good manager and would do well at a Brentford, Brighton or Bournemouth. 0

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hyperbrit added 14:31 - Feb 28 Town is in danger of becoming another Norwich and will end up where they are if they don't wake up imo!!
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